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Ford To Move To Linux

KingDaveRa writes "The Register is reporting that motor giant Ford is switching to Linux for its sales systems, human resources, customer relations and infrastructure, referencing a report in yesterday's Scotland on Sunday. According to The Register, the biggest battle was over which Linux vendor to use - RedHat or SuSE." Update: 09/16 01:51 GMT by T : An anonymous reader points to this NewsForge report, according to which Ford is not moving to Linux.

34 of 562 comments (clear)

  1. Where do you want to go today? by ChaoticChaos · · Score: 4, Funny

    Microsoft is officially Found On Road Dead. ;-)

    1. Re:Where do you want to go today? by netsharc · · Score: 4, Funny

      Fix Or Repair Daily describes Windows nicely. :)

      R can also be "Reboot".

      --
      What time is it/will be over there? Check with my iPhone app!
  2. Muahahahahaha by Bowie+J.+Poag · · Score: 5, Funny



    Doesn't Gates drive a Ford? :)

    --
    Bowie J. Poag

    1. Re:Muahahahahaha by geekBass · · Score: 2, Funny
      Doesn't Gates drive a Ford?

      No, he drives a BMW.

  3. does this mean by sbma44 · · Score: 5, Funny

    thinkgeek will start carrying stickers of Calvin peeing on a Microsoft logo?

  4. Natural Progression? by serutan · · Score: 4, Funny

    A tree sprouts from the forest floor and grows to majestic height. For awhile it stands tall and massive, blocking the sunlight from other sprouts. Then eventually it falls over and becomes a log.

    Note to Microsoft: "Tim-berrrrrr"

  5. Ford dumped by Gates by mm0mm · · Score: 3, Funny

    Meanwhile, Bill Gates made an official announcement today that he is switching his Ford Pinto with Hyundai Excel. Gates insisted this is NOT an "act of retaliation whatsoever," but just a "matter of personal preference."

  6. HELP! by cgranade · · Score: 4, Funny

    I hate Ford... I love Linux... what do I do? HELP!

    --

    #define DRM chmod 000

  7. Heh... by cybermace5 · · Score: 4, Funny

    So Linus Torvalds is from Finland, right? The new motto for Linux could be...

    wait for it...

    "Built Fjord Tough."

    --
    ...
  8. The old Ford quote; by KiwiEngineer · · Score: 3, Funny

    "you can have it in any colour you like, as long as it is black" (Ford - about 1928 or so)

    "you can have linux in any flavour you like as long as it is Redhat (or Suse)" (Ford - 2003)

    --
    Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!!
  9. Isn't that the sound of..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    a million linux advocates in /. reaching orgasm simultaneously?

    Ok, brb. I got to go do a victory dance.

  10. Time for that old chestnut by rf0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Comparing Windows to a Car ...

    At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with the technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon".

    In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

    1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.

    2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

    3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

    4. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

    5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.

    6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.

    7. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.

    8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

    9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

    10.You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.

  11. Re:It makes a lot of sense. by the_other_one · · Score: 4, Funny

    They will all be playing nethack on company time.

    --
    134340: I am not a number. I am a free planet!
  12. Ford Without Windows? by tds67 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Reminds me of my first car.

  13. Re:Fraid not by capmilk · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's only because of the free iPod that comes with the Beetle. ;)

  14. It sounds like a Dilbert by steveha · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wow. Ford is buying new computers without floppy disk drives... and Dell is so proud they released a white paper about it!

    "Realizing that it was purchasing obsolete technology that consumes space and costs money, Ford Motor Company began evaluating its alternatives with help from Dell."

    They should have interviewed Steve Jobs. I'm sure he'd have given them some great quotes about floppy-less PCs.

    Maybe Dell will next write a white paper about PCs without PS/2 keyboard or mouse ports!

    steveha

    --
    lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely
  15. Re:It makes a lot of sense. by sniggly · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not to mention theyll start posting rude anti MS statements AC on slashdot!

    --
    Of those to whom much is given, much is required.
  16. Re:well then by chef_raekwon · · Score: 2, Funny

    Like A Rock(TM)

    isn't this GM's trademark?
    or did I miss something?

    --
    We're like rats, in some experiment! -- George Costanza
  17. Switching from Ford by john_smith_45678 · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is funny, because I know somebody who's switching FROM Ford:

    Okay, now lets make Ford like Microsoft...

    My Ford has an oil leak. Ford doesn't call to tell me to tell me there's a big problem with oil leaks and a fix is available, but I find out from a guy on the Internet that they will fix it for free. I get my car back home from the shop and the next day there's oil all over the floor. I call Ford and they tell me they'll fix it next week.

    A month later a repair is available. On the way home from the shop I crash into a tree because the oil leak fix conflicted with the brake system. Ford says, yeah, that's been happening... there should be a fix for the fix next week. I spend more than the car is worth rebuilding it, (Ford said I should have test driven it before I drove it home.) but can't really drive it safely until the fixed fix is available. I get home from the shop without getting in an accident (after the fixed fix) and as I pull into my driveway my neighbor says, Hey bill, did you know you've got a pretty bad oil leak? Disgusted, I take my Ford to the dealer and want to buy another car, preferably non Ford. He informs me that all the dealers in the area carry only Fords. But, he says, the newest, fanciest, most expensive Ford has been completely redesigned and is guaranteed not to have oil leaks.

    Without much choice, I tell the dealer I'll take the new Ford and would like to trade in my old Ford. He informs me the old one isn't worth anything, but for a few dollars off he can give me an upgrade. I just have to keep my old Ford at home and every time I want to start the engine of my new Ford, I have to put the key in the old one first. This works okay for awhile. (Although I have to have the new Ford rebuilt as well because I'm T-boned by a guy in an older Ford that just repaired his oil leak.) A little bit later I come out and my new Ford has an oil leak!

    I call Ford and they tell me there will be a fix next week. The fix is available in a couple of months and I take it in for repair. Remembering my brake incident, I stomp on the brakes several times hard, check the lights, washers and air bag. It all works well. I try to drive home but can't get there because the interstate is blocked with leaky Fords that have been T-boned by leaky Fords with bad brakes. I try to pass the time by listening to the radio... but it doesn't work any more. Since I can't get home, I head back to the dealer to complain about the radio. They tell me they can get the radio working but the "work-around" will kill my rear defogger. If I wait another 6 months though, a new model is being released that won't have oil, brake or radio problems...

    I get angry and drive out of town to a dealership I heard about that can supply me with a custom configured *NIX Automobile. The dealer is cool but the new *NIX is way harder to drive than the Ford. I like it though and decide to buy one. Unfortunately, there is some kind of law or agreement that says I have to pay for a Ford (even though I don't get it) as well a fee to have my new *NIX setup and delivered.

    At this point I give up with the dealers, go buy the book "Rebuilding your Ford into a *NIX in 21 days", do so, and live happily ever after. ( Later, I have a good laugh when a Ford rep comes on TV and tells the world that the latest Ford fiasco could have been avoided if all owners would just give a spare set of house keys to them so they could come in whenever they want and work on them when the owners aren't around. )


    http://lists.netsys.com/pipermail/full-disclosure/ 2003-September/009561.html

  18. Microsoft is an Ex-parrot? by jabber01 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Pining for the Fords?

    --

    The REAL jabber has the user id: 13196
    What you do today will cost you a day of your life

  19. Well...put it this way by xQuarkDS9x · · Score: 5, Funny

    At least now they won't have to practice FORD on their computers - IE FIX OR REPAIR DAILY like they do with the cars. ^_^

    --
    You must master your joystick like a fisherman masters bait! - Gimpy
  20. Re:Servers not Workstations by davetza · · Score: 2, Funny

    doh

  21. Yes, a cat's got my tongue, OK? by inertia187 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Ford, you're turning into a penguin, stop it!"

    --
    A programmer is a machine for converting coffee into code.
  22. Re:Red Hat or SUSE? by codepunk · · Score: 2, Funny

    So what would the linux admin do for the other 364 days?

    --


    Got Code?
  23. RedHat or SuSe? by bryam · · Score: 2, Funny

    Doesn't matter if they insist that the distribution will be LSB certified.

    They will do that?

    Well, now I do know how car I select: Ford or Volvo? ;-)

  24. Obligatory.. by NegativeK · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ford: We're switching to Linux.
    Microsoft: Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.

    (Shamelessly stolen from D.N.A.)

    --
    This statement is false.
  25. Recent conversation at M$ by endersdad · · Score: 5, Funny

    Gates: Someone write a memo, employees are no longer allowed to drive Fords. They must switch to BMW.

    Suit: Sir, remember that town in Germany that switched to Linux?

    Gates: Volvo's then.

    Suit: Sir, Sweeden is a socialist country, no doubt they'll be next.

    Gates: Lexus then damnit!

    Suit: Sir, those aisian countries are developing their own operating system.

    Gates: That's it. Transfer all money budgeted for OS R&D into forming a new car company. Hell, we won't even have to change our slogan.

    1. Re:Recent conversation at M$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Gates: That's it. Transfer all money budgeted for OS R&D into forming a new car company. Hell, we won't even have to change our slogan.

      It may crash alot but it's popular?

  26. SCO Sends Letter To Ford... by jbottero · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, I assume this means SCO will be sending Ford a very big bill soon...

  27. Not all oil leaks are bad. by tgd · · Score: 2, Funny

    When my car stops leaking, I start worrying that my oil tank might be empty. :)

  28. Re:What about Burlington in 1999? by LMCBoy · · Score: 3, Funny

    I use Microsoft goods at home and I cannot stand it.

    whatsamatter, can't afford Linux? ;)

    --
    Liberal (adj.): Free from bigotry; open to progress; tolerant of others.
  29. Reminds me... by dark-br · · Score: 1, Funny
  30. RedHat by http101 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Some alternate slogans for Ford:
    I listed the original slogan, then the alternate for you all to enjoy...

    Built Ford Tough - "Built Linux Tough"

    Quality is Job 1 - "Clustering is Job 1"

    Have you driven a Ford lately? - "Have you driven a Penguin lately?"

    If you haven't looked at Ford lately, look again. - "If you haven't looked at RedHat lately, look again."

    Everything we do is driven by you. - "Everything We Do is Backed By Linux."

    Ford has a better idea. - "Linus has a better idea."

    There's a Ford in your Future. - "There's a Penguin in your Ford."

    --
    -- Game Developers: Stop porting badly-textured games from crappy console systems!
  31. In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Ford announces a price increase of $699 on all new models.